ARES vs. KB: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARES and KB, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ARES’s market capitalization stands at 38.26 billion USD, while KB’s is 31.46 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
ARES’s beta of 1.40 points to significantly higher volatility compared to KB (beta: 0.60), suggesting ARES has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
KB is an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), allowing U.S. investors direct exposure to its non-U.S. operations. ARES, on the other hand, is a domestic entity.
| Symbol | ARES | KB |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ares Management Corporation | KB Financial Group Inc. |
| Country | US | KR |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Asset Management | Banks - Regional |
| CEO | Michael J. Arougheti | Jong Hee Yang |
| Price | 177.96 USD | 85.7 USD |
| Market Cap | 38.26 billion USD | 31.46 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.40 | 0.60 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 2, 2014 | November 13, 2001 |
| ADR | No | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARES and KB by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ARES
17.03%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 34.25%
- Q3
- 18.22%
- Median
- 11.24%
- Q1
- 5.81%
- Min
- -5.72%
ARES’s Return on Equity of 17.03% is on par with the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
KB
10.13%
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 19.20%
- Q3
- 11.87%
- Median
- 9.48%
- Q1
- 6.66%
- Min
- -0.15%
KB’s Return on Equity of 10.13% is on par with the norm for the Banks - Regional industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ARES
15.74%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 42.18%
- Q3
- 20.06%
- Median
- 8.68%
- Q1
- 3.13%
- Min
- -16.42%
ARES’s Return on Invested Capital of 15.74% is in line with the norm for the Asset Management industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
KB
1.66%
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 13.33%
- Q3
- 7.16%
- Median
- 5.31%
- Q1
- 2.87%
- Min
- -3.49%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Banks - Regional industry.
Net Profit Margin
ARES
10.46%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 91.66%
- Q3
- 57.81%
- Median
- 29.48%
- Q1
- 15.70%
- Min
- -27.65%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry, ARES’s Net Profit Margin of 10.46% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
KB
18.15%
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 32.03%
- Q3
- 21.35%
- Median
- 16.99%
- Q1
- 12.69%
- Min
- 0.27%
KB’s Net Profit Margin of 18.15% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Banks - Regional industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ARES
27.62%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 99.76%
- Q3
- 78.28%
- Median
- 34.76%
- Q1
- 21.75%
- Min
- -48.25%
ARES’s Operating Profit Margin of 27.62% is around the midpoint for the Asset Management industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
KB
25.07%
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 40.01%
- Q3
- 26.24%
- Median
- 21.14%
- Q1
- 15.85%
- Min
- 1.50%
KB’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.07% is around the midpoint for the Banks - Regional industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | KB |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 17.03% | 10.13% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.89% | 0.74% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 15.74% | 1.66% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.46% | 18.15% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.62% | 25.07% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.51% | 104.16% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ARES
0.90
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 12.44
- Q3
- 5.76
- Median
- 3.04
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.01
ARES’s Current Ratio of 0.90 falls into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
KB
0.29
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 0.39
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.10
- Min
- 0.01
For the Banks - Regional industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ARES
0.15
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 2.62
- Q3
- 1.42
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.34
- Min
- 0.01
Falling into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry, ARES’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.15 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
KB
2.42
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 1.74
- Q3
- 0.81
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.42, KB operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Banks - Regional industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ARES
1.95
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.30
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- -6.91
ARES’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.95 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
KB
0.45
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 1.58
- Q3
- 0.84
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- -0.35
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks - Regional industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | KB |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 0.29 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 0.29 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.15 | 2.42 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.18 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.04 | 12.60 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.95 | 0.45 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARES and KB. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ARES
2.30%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 26.09%
- Q3
- 11.60%
- Median
- 6.37%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARES’s Dividend Yield of 2.30% is in the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
KB
1.67%
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 11.72%
- Q3
- 4.07%
- Median
- 3.00%
- Q1
- 1.68%
- Min
- 0.00%
KB’s Dividend Yield of 1.67% is in the lower quartile for the Banks - Regional industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ARES
323.36%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 1,034.88%
- Q3
- 127.70%
- Median
- 75.15%
- Q1
- 34.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARES’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 323.36% is above 100%. This means the company is paying out more in dividends than it earned, a practice that is often unsustainable and could indicate a risk to future dividend stability.
KB
29.48%
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 155.35%
- Q3
- 50.05%
- Median
- 34.14%
- Q1
- 18.61%
- Min
- 0.00%
KB’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 29.48% is within the typical range for the Banks - Regional industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | KB |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.30% | 1.67% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 323.36% | 29.48% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ARES
72.45
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 38.72
- Q3
- 23.40
- Median
- 11.45
- Q1
- 8.80
- Min
- 1.54
At 72.45, ARES’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
KB
7.58
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 22.32
- Q3
- 15.38
- Median
- 12.31
- Q1
- 10.72
- Min
- 4.30
In the lower quartile for the Banks - Regional industry, KB’s P/E Ratio of 7.58 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ARES
3.26
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 0.89
- Min
- 0.02
A Forward PEG Ratio of 3.26 places ARES in the upper quartile for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
KB
0.97
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.13
- Median
- 1.25
- Q1
- 0.71
- Min
- 0.02
KB’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.97 is within the middle range of its peers in the Banks - Regional industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ARES
7.78
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 7.92
- Median
- 4.87
- Q1
- 3.51
- Min
- 0.02
ARES’s P/S Ratio of 7.78 aligns with the market consensus for the Asset Management industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
KB
1.36
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 4.28
- Q3
- 2.76
- Median
- 2.17
- Q1
- 1.71
- Min
- 0.55
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks - Regional industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ARES
8.36
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 5.33
- Q3
- 2.75
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.00
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Asset Management industry.
KB
0.75
Banks - Regional Industry
- Max
- 1.99
- Q3
- 1.35
- Median
- 1.09
- Q1
- 0.92
- Min
- 0.33
KB’s P/B Ratio of 0.75 is in the lower quartile for the Banks - Regional industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | KB |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 72.45 | 7.58 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.26 | 0.97 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 7.78 | 1.36 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 8.36 | 0.75 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 6.96 | -2.67 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 23.40 | 17.49 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 7.80 | 4.85 |